Feeling Good Monday:Ode to Flex Working

     When flexible working actually, well works, it can be a good thing for productivity, getting an employer the best of  talents, and support healthy work life balance. This is going to be my goal the second half of 2001. Second half! How is that already possible. I think I mentioned the transition back to the office has been pushed back another month-August at the earliest before feel like the modified office set up will be ready to have more than a handful of people day to day in house. I won't transition to my two days until after labor day. I have two week sof vacation in August, and then I'll play a week of catch up-likely long hours before the three day weekend. DD2 will be back to school then. She starts classes on Thursday, August 26th but needs to be there  earlier as her Acapella choir is singing for one of  the Freshman orientation events. I plan to have two hard core get caught up weeks, and  ease into a part time office/part time telework schedule, with my every other Friday off starting September 7th. Ugh-I'm not trying to rush summer, but rather plan so I can enjoy summer.  

Things I need to  prepare , buy, or organize before September:

• Rolling briefcase/computer case: I think buying something along the lines of this will help me organize the "hotel" space int he office, while making sure I can easily pack anything from the home office to take with me. 

• Lunch bag or box that will fit in the case, but has room for  ice pack and utensils. Without a desk of my own, and potentially a different workspace on a a given day even if I have to buy something new, it will pay for itself by avoiding temptation to just eat out. Plus, we actually do not know yet what building we'll even be in  come January as out lease ends at the end of December. I might no longer be in walking distance to Target or a dozen food options so going to get lunch would mean a car trip. We might  be put in the same building as colleagues and one with a cafeteria-and that could be dangerously convenient. Best I be prepared-and that includes using my travel coffee mug and  water bottle.
• Clean out and purge my car. I've been lazy leaving things in the car on my infrequest trips. Also, my trunk has items that do not need to be there. 
• Develop a new laundry schedule and better meal planning. I can't mid day throw a load in  any day of the week or fold laundry while listening in on a meeting or presentation. Likewise, no  running to the store on my lunch break then starting dinner, and then finishing my  work day while supper cooks, at least the  two office days. I've been working much longer days teleworking, but to a great extent, (if I had been more efficient)  the extra flexibility for home tasks has somewhat balanced this our.
• Update my schedule with the dog. Again. he's used to getting out now whenever I go outside, even if he didn't come to me to go out. DH is going to need to plan a run home and I'll need to make sure he gets a start of day walk everyday, and build in a new schedule.

     I saw this commercial pop up when I was streaming YouTube in the background, catching up with a few vlogging faves. I love the Little Mermaid, and the Wish I Could Be" song. I thought it was a clever  use of the song for this  IPad commercial, showing the best of getting productivity from your computer system, but being out and about in the real world. I likely won't be working from a park,  but I love the idea of being able to grab a few hours of  fresh air mid day, while getting my work done, or tagging along with DH on Thursday's to the lake when it will be nice and quiet, but I can perhap take a mid day swim on my lunch break. I'm sharing this as I thought it was clever-no skin in the IPad game. IPad Little Mermaid Themed Ad. If you've changed how you work, during the pandemic, what changed will you keep and what are your thoughts on them?

Making Work-Work for the Long Haul

Working in a gallery-an option.

The year I had my second child, DD#2, I was teaching preschool and returned post maternity leave after the Christmas break. I didn't carry the health benefits in my family because then, employers were allowed to reimburse employees for the out of pocket insurance costs if the employee used a spouses. That is what we did, giving us no cost health insurance. Other than free lunches (sometimes, as I was often too busy to actually eat tending to my group of 8 three year olds) and the insurance financial boon, and my net salary, minus child care, commuting costs, and miscellaneous other costs probably resulted in a loss. There were other things I got from my job such as professional development opportunities paid for that helped build my resume and pure work experience. Because cash flow wise, it netted very little, I left teaching the end of the school year with intentions of getting licensed to do child care at my home. A moratorium on new licenses due to back logs prevented that, but then I got an opportunity for a part time job, that was the impetus for what became a fulfilling, and moderately well paid career.

Deciding to and where to work and for what salary and benefits are a challenge. While sometimes taking any job to pay the bills is what needs to be done, sometime there are intangibles to consider. The school I taught in was part of a prestigious 100 year old non-profit organization with a partnership with a college. These two features helped me craft my resume for opportunities beyond the classroom. Had I stayed at the very first private, for profit, preschool I worked at, I don't think I would have landed that first part time job post teaching.

I struggled too long before I changed jobs last year, looking too much just at the tangible, salary and longevity, and not enough at the intangibles. Even now, I sometimes glance at my paycheck stub and wince. Then I remember all the intangibles, no more 60 hour work weeks, and the things that eventually will be tangible, added retirement pension and health savings account, and I take a breath. 

I learned of an acquaintance that bought a home a few years back and has recently taken a second job in a home fashion store for extra income. The extra income, plus the nice employee discount will allow her to still put money towards travel and furnishing her home, but not derail her long term plans. Currently single and without children, this is a work-life strategy that works for her becasue she can maintain the standard of living she wants now, but not sacrifice long term savings, while doing enjoyable part time work. I've begun thinking about the years between DD#2 going off to college and the years before I retire and how I might spend them. While I could add more or different volunteer options, working a little part time job, particularly if I could work similar hours that DH works anyway, might be a good way to sock a little more cash away before retirement. 

It isn't a cut and dry decision. The tax bite needs to be factored in. I'd need to be careful that the extra earnings isn't just eaten up through taxes, and even worse, pushing all our earnings into another tax bracket. I could try other means to pad the budget like the 30 minute survey I did by phone Friday resulting in a $25 target gift card. That's a tax free $50 per hour earning. How have you made work, work for you? Is anyone else considering adding additional work to help build up savings for retirement, or kept working part time, perhaps in another area, to supplement retirement? I'd love to hear your plans or experience. 

Indulging my passion for coffee-another option.

Business Hours-Weekends and Holidays

I dropped DD#2 off at the high school this morning.  She has three days of choreography practice for show choir.  Her school letter jacket, taken in to get updated at the end of the cross country season  is done, so being that it is close to the school, I was going to swing in and pick it up at the specialty shop that does mostly school and sports team athletic wear.  I was dumbfounded to see that it was closed. Here is the summary of the sign posted on their door.

Regular Hours
Mon - Wed9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Thu9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Fri9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Sat-Sun Closed

For the first minute after pulling out of the parking lot, I was annoyed.  How can a business that relies on local business, knowing many people work out of town during the week, not be open on a Saturday?  How inconvenient!  Then my annoyance got a touch snarky.  Must be nice to have bankers hours, except even the bank is open on Saturday mornings.  Then my annoyance turned on myself.  Why should the owners have to give up their weekends so that twits like me, that didn't bother to check their hours when they dropped off the jacket, plan for the pick up to fit their hours? They are open late one night, so it was easy enough that I could have swung by on my way home Thursday.  Why should they stay open an extra day a week, when they clearly are dong a business that is thriving enough to stay in business for over 30 years? 

This is exactly the kind of plan I am hoping to build for my own life.  I want to work in a job, or a business of my own that I enjoy, but I want to be able to have the time and flexibility to enjoy the rest of the time with family and friends, volunteer work, and doing other things that make me happy. This business owner found that balance, and here my first impulse was to be annoyed.  No doubt they are also spending countless hours outside of the store open hours managing stock, coordinating embroidery work, and marketing their business. The more limited store though allows them to enjoy a cup of coffee or a nice morning walk.  If they have children or grandchildren, they can get to school or other activities on evenings and weekends. They can take a weekend away, almost unheard of for small business retailers. They can sit down for dinner. 

Cheapolife  is tracking the stores that are not going to open on Thanksgiving. As retailers are now marketing the fact that they are not going to be open on Thanksgiving, they might have taken a lesson out of this stores playbook.

A Short Ride on the Merry Go Round

Folks that have been reading will know I left a really stressful  job about five months ago for a new one that keeps to normal hours, encourages days off, lunch breaks, walking meetings, and other good for your body and soul practices.  Well this week I have let my old ways creep in the door, but just a bit. I momentarily am on the crazy Merry Go Round. My position is a newly created, built by splitting a coworkers job in two, and then expanding both positions scope and authority. July marks the first "launch" of the new expansion, under my oversight. I'm also moving a formerly paper process into an online format, and tension is a bit high by some veterans not quite on board with the change. Needless to say, I want it to go well, and timing is crucial.  I've wracked up 22 hours in the last two days between the office and home with another couple hours tonight.  Tomorrow and Thursday will be long as well.  The difference though, is these are all considered working hours towards my 40 hour work week.  Once I feel confident that the work is flowing as planned, I'll take compensatory time and have an extra day or two off, taking back any hours I work above 40 this week.This time, the carousel will stop long enough to get off.

Six months ago this was the norm, and not only was compensatory time unheard of, I was losing vacation time because I was at my top of the allowable vacation balance. It was really nonsensical that I did that for so long.  Had I been firmer and safeguarded my time early when things showed imbalance, I might not have set a precedent that slowly became the norm of meeting unrealistic timelines, and work volume. This is a hectic week, but I feel good about the work, and will happily enjoy an extra day with my kid as we move into the last weeks of summer. 

Speaking of vacation, we still though haven't booked our little weekend get away.  We were supposed to do a weekend hotel and then go to the horse racing tracks this past Sunday. Plans changed when  DD#2 was invited to spend the day on the river boating with her friends family.  DH and I spent a relaxing day at the lake with very few other people.  I happily sat on the pontoon in the shade and pecked away on my keyboard.  We were early meeting up with the other family to collect the kid that evening so sat and had drinks and a Heggie's pizza overlooking the river in a dive bar. I think we were the only non bikers, and DH was pretty envious.  He would be a Harley man if finances were different when we were younger.  Now, he just admires them, but who knows if one might show up some day in my driveway. It was a good weekend with simple pleasures. I want more of them. This is why I will never fall into those old ways again.

$3.00 Office Space

I'm going to work out of the office this morning.  It will be quiet in the office anyway, leading up to a three day weekend. I have a mid-afternoon meeting, but this will allow me to miss about 15 minutes worth of traffic by not driving peek rush hour. In the next few months, I will be adding more and more telecommuting days, so I decided today to plant my self in a local Dunn Brothers and test out a coffee shop as my remote office. While mostly I intend to just work from my own home, sometimes I need a little extra noise and stimulation, besides a better cup of coffee than I can make at home, to get my mind really producing.

Veteran remote office worker friends have their schedule almost to a science.  My friend A, who worked for years as the Executive Director of a start-up non-profit, spent at least 50% of her job on the road, and was always in a green light go mental state. She would have crashed if she tried to work from home more than a day a week. She coordinated her coffee shop offices with other meetings and appointments she needed to fit in, but essentially had three main hubs, one in St Paul, another in a  Minneapolis neighborhood near her home, and one near downtown. She would purchase her muffin or scone and a large cup of dark roast, and be set for the morning. A family member, L, who works in publishing, remote offices in coffee shops in or near book stores, preferably independent versions of both, for her office. 

I won't be of the ilk that A or L are, but I am trying to see if this works. Not to miss an opportunity to research, that is, be nosy about my people watching, I decided to scan the shop. Most people are coming in and out very quickly, beverage in hand, and I can see a  drive through four deep with cars. Inside, there is a trio of women discussing life and 31 Bags, and passing around samples of what I think looks like Tastefully Simple catalogs or flyer's. I know the bags, in fact am carrying one now, and I know that is what they are discussing because each woman has a couple with them, and one commented to me while I was getting my cream, "Did you know 31 has a bag with almost the same pattern as your shirt?" I get it.  This is a home shopping, small business owners, networking brain trust. There were two other men with laptops typing away, when I came in, but both have since left.  I see a couple students and a few tables with people just talking.There are still ample empty tables and the fireplace area is free, so at present I don't think I would be overstaying my welcome working here an hour or two. It is still too early for the mommy crowd that I have noticed on other days, and at other coffee shops, that seem to congregate mid-morning.

My large coffee was $2.56, quite pricey when I can brew a moderately, but not nearly as strong, good brew at home.  I left the change in the cup, making it $3.00. I have awesomely fast Internet speed.  I like that.  It is pretty good at home, but I find spotty patches and glitches still occur even after the upgrade.  I'm in a relatively sunny spot by a window and can gaze out and see green, but mostly I am seeing cars driving through town. I managed to snag a comfy deep seat chair, so using my lap as a desk.  I work better this way than I do in the office, though ergonomically, I am probably doing everything wrong for my future posture. At home I have my beloved chaise, and can look out at my own front yard.

My verdict? While this might be a nice change of pace, It will be a rare occurrence in my telecommuting cycle.  I think I would rather work early from home, and if I want a  different scenery, schedule a late breakfast or lunch with someone. Today, since I am in the office later anyway I dressed for work.  Normally if I telecommute, I'll be able to work in the comfort of whatever I feel like putting on, or even stay in my pajamas if I want, though that is not likely. I don't want to perpetuate a telecommuting stereotype. If I would work remotely, but out of my own house, I would feel like I still need to dress as if going to work, though it is a work casual environment. Who else out there combines home offices with coffee offices?  What are your reasons for doing both, or are you a predominantly coffee commuter?  

 Anniversary Giveaway

Only 8 more days until I tick the box on my to do list that says, Start and Maintain a Blog. I wasn't going to consider it a done deal until I made it one year.  Remember to add a comment if you want to a chance for a Minnesota package giveaway. By the way, Dunn Brothers is a Minnesota based company, and may be featured in the basket, though I am not receiving any gift, benefit, or sponsorship from the company. I mention for trivia value, and enticement to enter! Did I mention, you can comment on any post between now and before 9:00 a.m. Minnesota time to enter?  Now I have. 

Final Count Down

In about two hours I will be starting my third to last day on the job.  It is very sweet that I am being thrown a little reception this afternoon.  It feels good to know that after 21 years, my contributions are acknowledged.  I was unsuccessful in my bid to keep these last few weeks to just a 40 hour work week.  So far this week I've already put in over 20 hours. Granted some of this has been my own doing for wanting to leave a purged office and  organized files for my current managers and my successors.  I hope I am seen as someone that took pride and gave more than 100% right up until my last minutes.  

About 1/3 rd of my staff are foreign born residents, with English being a second language. All with great English skills, but sometimes the phrasing isn't exactly right.  I had to laugh at one of that staff talking about today's gathering.  I heard via the grapevine that there will be a short program with my boss saying a few words and others being invited as well.  She shared with me, in a sweet personal goodbye conversation, that she couldn't speak in front of everyone.  She told me, "I just wouldn't know what to say for your eulogy."  Let's hope she doesn't have to do that speech for a long, long time.

Simple Things on a Stressful Day

It has been one of those weeks.  We all have them.  Yesterday was the crème de la crème of  challenging.  It was another 11 hour day in the office, rushing to try and get to my women's volleyball night, even though it was an 8:30 game.  On the drive there, I thought I am either going to be so "on" and play better than I have in along time, or have an athletic break down on the court.  It was the latter.  I think I might have successfully passed one ball from the back row in each of the three games.  I was called twice on double hits-which I called myself on long before the whistle blew. It didn't matter though.  This is all for fun, and it was fun.  It was simple; it was honest, and it was gals out for a night of a little exercise, but mostly to stop and have a beer, a glass of wine, or just any cold drink, and let the rest of the day fizzle in the past. 


I was at a long meeting yesterday.  The focus was to start preparations to launch a deep and vast statewide program expansion.The funding is tight. The timelines are tight. The challenges are many.  There was collective optimism, but more than a few twinges of doubt and apprehension.  Two things were good about this meeting-and both were really simple things.  Frist, the meeting organizer arranged a very nice lunch-healthy and yummy, and enjoyed in a collegially atmosphere. Catered lunches are not the norm in my world, and  it was much appreciated by all. Never underestimate the power of food.  Secondly, the meeting facilitator and host, ended the meeting with  making sure there was a concrete list of  items that needed more time and attention, and tentative timelines and persons to start that stage.  Simple-acknowledge where the challenges lie, and develop a plan to act on them. Some of the stress bubbles seemed to float out the door with us as we left.  I love meetings done with good facilitation, that lead to good ideas and decision making. I've been trying to apply that principle in other areas of my life, so it was good to see it in action.


I needed some humor this week.  I love to laugh, and when I do, I  feel like I am almost releasing toxins from my body.  It is that therapeutic for me.  I was a little wound  up the other night with worry about work, the potential changes coming soon, my family, just everything, so found an episode of Black Books, the comedian Dylan Moran's sitcom.  I knew I had to watch my favorite-the one where Bernard and Manny write a children's book, and Fran has an attempt at a girls weekend.  If you have never seen the show-I highly recommend it for just simple, mostly non- offensive humor.  


I guess I could sum up my recipe for distressing as friends, food, momentum, and laughter.  I'll have a second helping today, please.

Looking a Little Peaked

Yes, I was looking a little peaked, and progressively looked more so as the week went on. Actually, I haven't been  "peak" in months. I finally caved to all the cues, got into the on call doctor, who fiercely advocated I got into a specialist yesterday. Had I done this months ago when I wasn't feeling chipper, after my September doctor visits, I might have saved months of crud. As much as stress of work, home, and community can add to the physical ailments, sometimes it really is more than stress. I really needed to be my own advocate better and might have had better answers and remediation's earlier. It appears by waiting, no new harm has been done, but the symptoms and side effects have become much more intense.  I will have a long haul, but am assured a right  treatment plan can commence.

Unfortunately, too many women, and men for that matter, feel like we are supposed to minimize our malaise, and pop a quick Tylenol or Advil, and move on with our days  Too many people, things, and life needs counting on us, that we forget that if we aren't well, we certainly won't be in a position to fulfill the needs of others. When we do go to the doctor, we often accept the first  opinion, go with that, and assume, that because they are the expert and may be  minimizing ailments as normal or common, things must be in our head if we aren't seeing the relief they said we should have. What I know I forget is that doctors see women by the hundreds with similar situations, and probably 95%, the treatment plans work.  There are times when people truly are the anomaly and not the norm, and it really is not ok to keep feeling like crap, when you have followed the plan. There is no betrayal of the medical profession by asking for more and second opinions.

I might be spottier on my blog posts as I add more doctor and clinic appointments and try to do more work from home to counter future time off.  I look forward to reading all of your post.  I'm hopeful that I'll be on the rebound enough to complete Christmas festivities projects, mostly baking and gift wrapping, before I am truly down for the count for a few weeks. Here's wishing that you are all wiser than me the next time you too look a little peaked, and listen to what your body is telling you, even if your head is trying to say something else. 

December Joy in Full Swing

The first week of December is almost to an end, and I think so far, on the home front, I've been able to keep the calm, peace, and spirit of Christmas.  Work has been a whole different game, and I had no less than a melt down a day in the last week.  I did get some inkling of news that an opportunity might present itself soon, so fingers crossed.   Whoever said no crying in the work place would have had a field day with me! Even with that, I think my meltdowns were a source of release, because once recovered, I was able to move on and fix what I could, or just set aside what I  couldn't and be productive. I am good at my job and I seriously care about the work I do and our company does, so that helps me keep focused.

Work aside, I want to avoid drama in my personal life.  While there are real  threats to our personal well being, illness, under or unemployment, bills and expenses that weren't planned, friends and family facing tough stuff, adding  issues of our own creation will get a person no where. Dwelling on a comment someone made, and unintentionally using it to fuel an old angst, was one of my worst "drama" flaws. Trying to fix things that don't need fixing, or at least don't need fixing by me, was another bad habit. December, ripe with holiday cheer and faith, is a great time to frame things in different ways and get new perspective.  Think of the things in the past year that have given you genuine joy. Of course there are vacations and new cars, or entertainment things, but within those even what were the pieces that mattered?  Was it the new flat screen TV to replace the dead tube version in itself, or the fact that we could all once again watch a movie, the winter Olympics, and the World Cup all together in the family room? Who were the people I spent time with, and what were we doing, that when done, I felt energized and happy?  What were the things I did and the people I did them with, that drained me? How did I contribute to either scenario?  These are questions I am trying to ask to better develop my new frame of reference.

I think of our trip to the UK last year, that for me was a lifetime wish fulfilled.  The whole trip was wonderful and the history and attractions will be remembered forever in awe and wonder.  Though within that trip, meeting my daughters friends and having a family dinner with them was joyful.  Going to Wales, the ancestral home of my paternal great grandfather, and learning that families abound in that part of the UK with my maiden name gave me joy. I could bring back for my brother, a scroll that outlines the history of that surname, and that made me happy. 

There was joy spending one on one time with each of my children this past year.  All five of us have not been together since March of 2013, because of school and work by my older two.  It gives me joy knowing my older kids now live in the same city, genuinely like us as parents and each other as siblings, and stay connected.  Would I make the same choices and decision they have about their life-probably not, but I'll support them in their choices. I'm not kidding myself that there is always joy, and I've been on the receiving end of their frustration at job and relationship woes, and times where my phone call has gone unreturned, but in my current frame of reference, I can't dwell on what I don't get from them as a parent.

My extended family makes me happy, particularly now with fewer of us, those still here mean even more.  My sisters are my best friends.  I trust them completely, sharing our concerns, our successes, and our wishes. I received a recipe from my mother's cousin in Norway for Christmas Rosettes, made them-very tricky, but after posting a picture of the successful ones on Facebook, another cousin told me I would have made our grandmother, who I never knew, proud.  That gave me joy. 

Coffee or a glass of wine, or just a good walk with a friend were looked forward to as much as a planned event like my class reunion. Sharing a friends happiness as she radically downsized her home freeing up much needed resources and liberating herself from "stuff" was inspiring. Seeing how happy DD#2 was receiving some hand me downs from a friends daughter, a very accomplished runner and role model, was sheer bliss. The items were great, but because they came from S, were really appreciated.

We can do all things as humans to muck up peace, love, and joy in the world.  We can spend huge amounts of money chasing elusive geese that we think will lay golden eggs to fund our personal happiness, and never be happy. I can be jealous of the new car and the exotic vacation my colleague took, wondering how much more they are paid than me, or I could take them up on their offer of going for coffee, and hearing about the places they went to, that they know I have an interest in. (This was a little tough, but I did the latter). I'm finding as I work and achieve better  inner vision and perspective, the simpler things are what are giving me the most joy.  I think I have a healthy use of money-it is a tool to help manage your life, but should not be the focus of your life.  If I make the change employment wise, more than likely it will be at a financial ding to cash flow.  Some would call that ridiculous, but I will be looking at the whole package-not just compensation, but what personal values will the change help me nurture.

With that, here are my reverse advent  gifts since Tuesday when I last posed. I haven't done a give away yet today, but will when we go out later.  I have a couple options for today, tomorrow, and Monday I am noodling which to do when. I know many are not participating because they donate throughout the year, and no guilt to others intended. To me, this is a bit of symbolism, holding my self accountable when I have so much, to be conscientiously giving to others.  With this, I too am finding joy.

• Target gift card
• brand new boots, size 8 1/2 bought for an unbelievably low sale price  without trying on a year or two ago, that I can't zip up, great style and will hopefully work well for some up and coming professional needing to build their wardrobe
• the tween clothes I had packed up earlier in the week

 "'It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving." Mother Theresa

Cold Monday Pizza Night in December

It was a confusing sort of day.  I woke up, checked e-mails, intending that I was just going to delete overnight SPAM that escaped the filter, and learned there was a change in what I thought was DD#2's practice schedule.  Apparently wrong dates were sent out, but the text did say Monday and Wednesdays'.  I am a date kind of person-dates trump days to me, so I put December 3rd and 5th on the calendar, not Monday and Wednesday. Even with the wrong date, it was more my error, as the context was clear. This caused me to open my calendar, and seeing that my afternoon was flexible, solved the problem by intending to leave work early, and finish up my day once home.  I did this, without care, until I got a "bing" e-mail alert on the drive home, checking once I arrived home to an alert that the 4:00 meeting was in the Harry Potter Room (a makeshift meeting room located under a staircase-clever hah?). I had completely zoned out a conversation held before my extended Thanksgiving holiday abut joining in on a conference call.  The party who set up the meeting had not set up an actual meeting in Outlook, so nothing was on my calendar.  Apparently I didn't miss anything much, and it will be an easy catch-up, but I am bothered by this.  I hate not being on my game at work. 

On the plus side,  we are back home, cozy in the house by 6:30, and Friday night I have one less thing to juggle and can better enjoy the weekend.  DH works late on Monday so it is just the girls tonight.  I was intending to actually cook a meal, but something got overly stuck on the cook top last night, and I don't want to use the stove top until we can keep working the char out of the glass. You can't scrub with anything but soft cloth and cook top cleaner, for risk of ruining the glass.  I take good care of it and it looks and works like it did brand new 12 years ago.  Frozen pizza became the dish du jour. It was a whopping high of 8 degrees today-I won't complain about  little internal warmth and comfort from the pizza. I have a twinge of guilt for not having a few batch made meals ready to be pulled out for just such a night.  We do probably eat more frozen pizza than we should.

For Advent in Reverse, I gave away the last of my loose change, the change kept for girls poker night.  I usually put whatever change I have  or a dollar bill or two whenever I see a red kettle, but intentionally bringing the poker money meant I was actually giving away something from me.  I've read many posts of others doing the same thing to lead up to Christmas, and others choosing not to do this, because they regularly donate throughout the year.  I say anyway a person gives to others in need is a great idea.  I donate throughout the year, but like the concept of a reverse Advent specifically to celebrate the Christmas season. 

How has your first day of December gone?  For those in the US who may have had extended time off, did you find getting back into the norm a little tough this morning as I did?  Other than soup, what is your winter weeknight no fuss ,comfort, go to food?  As for that cook top, does anyone have any tried and true suggestions other than good old elbow grease and patience?

Dead Meat Tired

About 20 years ago, my family of four at the time. took a vacation to the Wisconsin Dells, waterpark capitol of the Midwest.  Besides oodles of waterparks, there were water ski shows,  corny tourist attractions like wax museums, and fun houses, dude ranches for horseback riding, and of course the "Ducks" old military water and street vehicles that took tourists on tours of the area on land and then into the water to see the interesting rock formations.  We crammed a lot into a four day vacation followed by a long drive home.  I remember once we got the car unpacked and the kids back in the house, the dog retrieved from where he was staying, my son, about 5 or 6 at the time, threw his body onto the couch exclaiming, "I'm dead meat tired."  The expression has stuck.  DD#2 who wasn't born for another six years, uses the expression as well. 

Today, I am dead meat tired.  There has been no slow down at my office-I am still doing my job and filling the gap from turnover of a manager in my division.  Requests and needs are coming above and below my position, and outside the organization.  Still, it is November, the month we are to be thankful.  I am thankful I have a job, but am really trying to hold it together until this chaos passes.  

On top of the work life imbalance, I have been fielding daily calls, e-mails, and texts from both DS and DD#1 about their relocations.  DD#1 still is questioning her decision to move out west, and DS seems to have an almost fairy tale perspective of what his life will be after his move.  I miss that 6 year old boy that played so hard  on water slides and rafting boats, to the point he was just ready for a long nap in his own house.  Now he seems to want to burn candles at both end, without really have a clue where the wick will come from.

I feel like I am getting about as much sleep as I did when the kids were infants. I toss and turn at night, praying silently that they both will be fine, and things will work out for them. I remember the teacher at the classes leading up to delivery of the babies and the nurses in the maternity ward reminding me to sleep when the baby sleeps, to take care of myself.  I believe the last text is done for the night-no drama should be added.  I think I will listen to those nurses now and put myself to bed, sleeping while my "babies" appear to be at rest.  Tomorrow, the cycle will start again and I'll just be another pork chop on the barbecue grill of life.